In general, computer representations of objects are shared in an abstract, descriptive form such as a computer-automated design (CAD) file or a stereolithography (STL) file. While these formats can provide a relatively compact and universal representation of a three-dimensional object, they generally require additional processing by a user in order to render machine-ready instructions for a three-dimensional printer. access. This process, sometimes referred to as “slicing” (in reference to the decomposition of the object into a sequence of two-dimensional slices) can be very processing intensive, and often requires user selection of a variety of parameters relating to layer thickness, infilling density, tool temperature, tool speeds, and so forth. Parameter optimization will depend in part of the type of three-dimensional printer being used. Further complicating this process, certain features of objects will generally render better using certain slicing parameters, and a successful print may require significant user experimentation. These challenges are exacerbated by the proliferation of three-dimensional printers and the increasing number of users with divergent hardware who are seeking printable content online.
Rather than experimentation with a wide range of three-dimensional models that might be available online, an owner or operator of a three-dimensional printer may simply wish to receive items of interest in a way that does not require extensive searching, and that does not require extensive experimentation with printer settings. There remains a need for tools that improve network access to printable content by users of three-dimensional printers.